Archive for March, 2016

The Toledo football team will host Student Appreciation Day Tuesday, April 5, at 9:45 a.m.

The event will be held in the Glass Bowl, weather permitting. In the case of inclement weather, the event will take place in the Fetterman Indoor Facility.

Current UT students are invited to attend the open football practice and participate in a preliminary 40-yard dash. The top finalists will then race against senior running back Kareem Hunt and senior wide receiver Corey Jones at halftime of the Spring Game Saturday, April 9, at 1 p.m. in the Glass Bowl.

Winners of the halftime race will receive official team-issued Rocket gear, a signed helmet, pictures with Head Coach Jason Candle and student guest tickets.

The Alpha Kappa Psi Chapter at The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation is presenting an event to combat substance abuse.

Called be-Wise-er, it will take place Tuesday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. in the Student Union Auditorium.

“All it takes is one sip, one time and one night to end your world,” said Natalie Alexandra Zerucha, awareness and safety chair of the UT College of Business and Innovation’s Alpha Kappa Psi Chapter. “We want all students to simply ‘be wiser’ about their choices.”

She added that she worked with numerous departments at the University in setting up this event.

“Sgt. Tressa Johnson, a lieutenant with the UT Police Department, said she is happy to see another big event taking place like this on campus,” Zerucha said. “And I was fortunate enough to get a call from Brian Hoeflinger only a few hours after sending him an email. To me, he’s a local star. A great father and neurosurgeon, he has been on many talk shows; he and his wife use their personal experience of losing their 18-year-old son three years ago as a life-learning lesson for college students who think they are invincible.”

She said this is the first year for the program, which she hopes will become an annual event.

“We’re not here to judge,” Zerucha said. “We’re here to tell our fellow classmates that we want them to get the dream job that they came to college to get an education for. However, we hope the people that we asked to join us will be a reminder that anything can happen.”

The free event is open to all UT students as well as the public. Doors will open at 7 p.m. with free food and prizes.

Alpha Kappa Psi is the oldest and largest professional business fraternity.

The Office of Assessment, Accreditation and Program Review will hold its third annual Assessment Workshop and Appreciation Luncheon Wednesday, April 6, at 9:30 a.m. in the Brady Center in Nitschke Hall.

Linda Suskie, an internationally recognized expert on higher education, will be the keynote speaker. Suskie has taught at both the undergraduate and graduate level, worked for seven years as a vice president at the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, and published two books on assessment: Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide and Five Dimensions of Quality: A Common Sense Guide to Accreditation and Accountability.

Suskie

Suskie’s approach focuses on assessment and accreditation and their purpose in helping every student get the best possible education, according to Dr. Alana Malik, university assessment director in the Office of Assessment, Accreditation and Program Review.

“This luncheon will provide UT with an outsider’s perspective on our current assessment process. [Suskie] will inform the UT community on the importance of assessment and how it directly correlates to student learning and development,” Malik said.

The workshop, “The Collaborative Endeavors of Assessment,” will go from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and will be followed by the lunch and keynote from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Lunch is provided, and faculty, students and staff of the University are welcome to attend the free event.

John O. McGinnis, the George C. Dix Professor in Constitutional Law at Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law, will present “Why Citizens United and Other Roberts Court Campaign Finance Decisions Are Right” Monday, April 4, at noon in the Law Center McQuade Law Auditorium.

The free, public lecture is a part of the Stranahan National Issues Forum and is sponsored by the UT College of Law and its chapter of the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies. Food and drink will be provided.

McGinnis

No issue has generated more unyielding divisions on the Roberts Supreme Court and in American society than the court’s decisions about political campaign regulation, most famously in Citizens United v. FEC (2010). The court’s majority believes that campaign finance regulations should be analyzed under general free speech principles established in other contexts. The dissents seek to decide campaign finance regulation issues by considerations unique to campaign finance regulation.

McGinnis will show that the majority’s approach is correct, because the First Amendment reflects a distrust of government and thus requires judicial constraint, which adherence to general First Amendment principles provides.

“Campaign finance regulation is perennially front-page news,” said Lee J. Strang, the John W. Stoepler Professor of Law and Values at the UT College of Law. “Professor McGinnis will argue that, contrary to frequent claims, the Roberts Court is neutrally following the First Amendment in its campaign regulation cases, including in Citizens United. McGinnis’ lecture is sure to spark thought and conversation on this important topic.”

McGinnis is the prolific author of more than 70 law review articles and dozens of essays. Most recently, he wrote Accelerating Democracy: Transforming Government Through Technology (Princeton 2013) and co-authored with M. Rappaport Originalism and the Good Constitution (Harvard 2013). He is a past winner of the Paul Bator Award given by the Federalist Society to an outstanding academic under 40.

Prior to teaching, McGinnis was deputy assistant attorney general in the Office of Legal Counsel at the Department of Justice. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, and holds a master of arts degree in philosophy and theology from Balliol College, Oxford.

The Stranahan National Issues Forum is a joint program of the UT College of Law and its chapter of the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies. It is made possible by an endowment from the Stranahan Foundation. The forum’s purpose is to address issues of national importance through the lens of the American legal system, and McGinnis joins a long list of high-profile speakers who have delivered the Stranahan Lecture at the UT College of Law.

Dr. Ryan Behan will visit UT Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 3, for the Dorothy MacKenzie Price Piano Series.

On the weekend he is here, Behan will present a master class at 10 a.m. Saturday and a recital at 3 p.m. Sunday. Both free, public events will be held in the Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall.

Behan

The recital program will consist of selected works from the first, second and third year of Franz Liszt’s “Années de Pèlerinage” (“Years of Pilgrimage”). These works are considered a summation of Liszt’s musical style, and many are linked to masterworks of art and literature.

Behan, a great fan of Liszt, is a founding member of the Ohio Chapter of the American Liszt Society.

As lecturer at Ohio State University, Behan has taught applied piano and served as opera coach for the School of Music.

He has won acclaim from audiences throughout the United States and Europe as an exceptionally versatile pianist. Season 2014-15 highlights include performances as concerto soloist with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra and Vince Lee, conductor, and solo concerts at the Valentine Theater in Toledo.

A winner in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, Behan also serves on the collaborative faculty of the Mozarteum International Summer Academy in Salzburg, Austria, where he has worked alongside many great instrumental artists and teachers, including Umberto Clerici, Michael Frischenschlager, Igor Petrushevski and Zakhar Bron, as well as American opera singer Grace Bumbry.

The Toledo Piano Teachers Association assists with The University of Toledo Dorothy MacKenzie Price Piano Series. The association provides students for the master class, publicity for the class and concert, and refreshments for the reception in the lobby following the concert.

The spotlight will shine even brighter on diversity during April at The University of Toledo.

“It is amazing that April has been designated as Diversity Month at The University of Toledo by President Sharon L. Gaber,” Henderson Hill, assistant dean of multicultural student success, said. “It is even more important to continuously recognize diversity because it allows us to develop an ongoing inclusive community on our campus through dialogues, cultural events and overall support of differences. This, in turn, poises the institution to be even more progressive in improving the human condition.”

“Diversity at The University of Toledo has been an area of emphasis this year,” Gaber said. “I hope each of us will spend time during Diversity Month asking ourselves what more we can do to ensure basic values such as dignity and inclusion are reflected across UT campuses.”

To kick off Diversity Month, Gaber will give an address Monday, April 4, at noon in the Student Union Ingman Room.

“The University of Toledo offers more than a great place to educate yourself. It offers a place to be yourself,” she said. “At UT, we value all people — regardless of their cultural background, beliefs, ethnicity, gender or sexual identity — because this rich diversity enables us all to excel.”

“Diversity Week, which is the first week of Diversity Month, is meant to celebrate and embrace the high amount of diversity at The University of Toledo and our surrounding communities,” Shailen Shah, diversity chair for Student Government and member of the President’s Council on Diversity, said. “Many think of diversity as just ethnicity; we are trying to expand those beliefs to embody all types of diversity. We hope to see many students, faculty and staff at all of our events.”

Banner

Rapper, record producer, actor and activist David Banner will give the keynote address Wednesday, April 6, at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Auditorium. A question-and-answer session will take place after the talk, and Banner is scheduled to sign autographs and take photos.

“Having David Banner here on our campus in Toledo is huge, not just for the University, but the city as a whole,” Lance Price, president of the Black Student Union, said. “His voice carries a lot of weight, so the excitement is crazy. People need to hear his message no matter where you came from.”

Born in Jackson, Miss., Lavell Crump chose the name of the lead character in the TV show “The Incredible Hulk” as his stage moniker. Since his 2000 debut disc, Them Firewater Boyz, Vol. 1, Banner has been a force in the music world. He has worked with T.I., Akon, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg and Chris Brown. His CDs include Mississippi: The Album, MTAs: Baptized in Dirty Water, The Greatest Story Ever Told, and Sex, Drugs & Video Games.

As an actor, he has appeared in several movies, including “Black Snake Moan,” “This Christmas,” “Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming,” “The Butler” and “Ride Along.” And in 2006, Banner received a Visionary Award from the National Black Caucus for his work after Hurricane Katrina.

Diversity Month is hosted by the Office of the President, the Division of Student Affairs, Student Government, the Ad-Hoc Diversity Plan Advisory Board, and the Office of Equity, Diversity and Community Engagement in collaboration with Student Government’s Diversity Week.

• Thursday, April 7 — Dr. Jim Ferris, the Ability Center of Greater Toledo Endowed Chair in Disability Studies, UT professor of disability studies and director of the Disability Studies Program, will host a discussion on “Against Awareness: Disability, Sexuality and the Problem of Protection” at 12:30 p.m. in University Hall Room 4180.

• Friday, April 8 — “The Bridge,” 3:30 p.m., Horton International House Dining Area. UT students Luke Zastrow and Lauren Banks will talk about the sandwich-making program they started to help feed the homeless.

• Saturday, April 9 — International Student Association Dinner, 6 p.m., Student Union Auditorium. UT President Sharon L. Gaber will speak at the event. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door; table of eight is $100, and children 4 and younger are free. Purchase tickets at Ask Rocky in the Student Union.

• Wednesday, April 13 — Holi Toledo, UT’s third annual celebration of the Indian holiday Holi, 3 p.m., field south of the Memorial Field House.

Senior center Nathan Boothe will play in the Reese’s 2016 Division I College All-Star Game during Final Four weekend in Houston.

Boothe, who just capped off a tremendous collegiate career with the Rockets, will participate in the game Friday, April 1, at NRG Stadium.

Boothe

He received first-team All-Mid-American Conference accolades this past season after leading the MAC in scoring with 19.3 points per game and ranking third with 9.0 rebounds per game and an 82.4 free-throw percentage. He also was fourth in double-doubles (14) and 11th with 3.4 assists per game.

Boothe’s 618 points this season ranked third in school history, and his 155 rejections are the most in Rocket annals. He led or shared the squad lead in scoring on a team-high 19 occasions, rebounding a team-best 25 times, and assists on 11 occasions.

The Gurnee, Ill., native concluded his career tied for 10th place on UT’s career scoring list with 1,494 points and tied for 10th place on UT’s all-time career rebounding list with 777 boards.

Earlier this season, Boothe was one of 13 individuals named to CollegeInsiders.com’s mid-season Mid-Major All-America team Jan. 5. He also received the MAC’s West Division Player of the Week honors on seven occasions.

The game will feature 20 of the nation’s most outstanding college senior student-athletes selected by the National Association of Basketball Coaches, which is sponsoring the all-star event.

Toledo broke a school record Tuesday by capturing its fifth tournament crown of the season with an eight-stroke victory at the Kingsmill Intercollegiate hosted by the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va. The tourney was held on the par-72, 6,043-yard River Course at the Kingsmill Resort.

“The conditions were really tough [Tuesday] with the wind and pin placements, and I was really proud of how we held on for the victory,” Head Coach Nicole Hollingsworth said. “We received contributions from everyone throughout the tournament, and that’s what you need to be successful.”

The women’s golf team won its fifth tournament of the season Tuesday in Virginia.

Senior Sathika Ruenreong led the Rockets by earning medalist honors for the fourth time in her collegiate career. She edged the Tribe’s Alessandra Liu (72-71-75=218) by finishing one stroke in front at one-over par 217 (71-73-73). Freshman Natcha Daengpiem joined Reunreong in the top five with a season-best fifth place showing at eight-over par 224 (75-74-75).

“Sathika’s play was phenomenal, and it was really fun to watch her attack the golf course,” Hollingsworth said. “She’s had a tremendous career, and it’s great to see her finishing strong.”

Harmonic vocals and mashups, jaw-dropping dance moves and themed costumes are a few of the things you can expect to see on stage at Songfest, which will take place Saturday, April 2, at 5 p.m. in Savage Arena.

Now in its 79th year, Songfest brings together campus organizations, students, alumni and the Toledo community to entertain the audience with song and dance and raise money for a chosen philanthropy.

This year’s philanthropy is the Daughter Project, a local organization that builds foster homes for victims of human trafficking, usually girls between the ages of 10 and 17. These homes give victims a place to live and the resources for rehabilitation into a normal life.

“Human trafficking is a serious issue in the Toledo community and one that is not always talked about,” said Alex Wisniewski, a fourth-year biology major and one of the Songfest event coordinators. “These women that are freed from trafficking many times do not have a home waiting for them, and the Daughter Project is able to [fulfill] the most essential needs that many of us take for granted.”

Songfest is presented by Blue Key National Honor Society and Mortar Board National Senior Honor Society, both of which have put on various fundraisers this year to collect money for the Daughter Project. Songfest attendees also will be asked to donate to the philanthropy if they are able to do so.

Last year, $10,000 was raised for the Wounded Warrior Project. This year, the goal is to exceed that amount for the Daughter Project, according to Wisniewski.

The theme of this year’s Songfest is “Throwback to Millennial Pop Culture” and will feature popular songs from 1990 to 2010 that the current generation of students grew up singing.

A total of 21 fraternities, sororities and co-ed organizations will compete in this year’s event. Students began practicing months in advance to perfect their routines in the hopes of winning one of the coveted awards.

“The day of Songfest definitely makes all the months of hard work worth it,” said Katie McGough, Songfest director in the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. “There is no greater feeling than the adrenaline rush you get while on stage.”

Trophies will be given for first, second and third place in the men’s and women’s categories, and one first-place trophy will be given to the co-ed winner.

“Songfest is one of the most demanding, but absolutely rewarding endeavors I have taken on, and being able to help out a wonderful organization like the Daughter Project, which really makes a difference in lives, is a feeling I can’t even begin to describe,” Wisniewski said.

In late January 2016, an incident occurred at an off-campus party that raised fundamental questions about civility, tolerance and acceptance at The University of Toledo — a campus that I believe is much better than this incident suggests.

At this time, The University of Toledo Division of Student Affairs has completed a thorough Student Code of Conduct investigation into that Jan. 24 incident.

I’d like to outline the subsequent facts for you and then talk briefly about where UT goes from here.

After interviews with nearly four-dozen individuals who attended the party, administrative hearings and hearings before a diverse panel of students and UT employees, the University has identified sanctions for the fraternity and six individuals found responsible for violations of the UT Student Code of Conduct.

First, the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity was found responsible for:

• Violating UT’s prohibition against physical abuse, verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment or other conduct that threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person, and

• Violating UT’s prohibition against disorderly conduct.

Sanctions for Pi Kappa Phi fraternity include:

• Disciplinary probation until May 31, 2017;

• A prohibition against social events until May 31, 2017;

• A prohibition against the admission of new members until Jan. 1, 2017, marking two semesters that the fraternity will have been unable to admit new members;

• Anti-bullying training for all members; and

• Mandatory alcohol awareness training for all members.

Second, six students went through the Student Code of Conduct process and were found responsible for violating one or both of the following charges:

• Violating UT’s prohibition against physical abuse, verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment or other conduct that threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person; and

• Violating UT’s prohibition against disorderly conduct.

Sanctions for these students include:

• One year of disciplinary probation;

• Alcohol awareness education; and

• 10 to 15 hours of community service.

Any UT student charged with a violation of the Student Code of Conduct is permitted to choose between an administrative hearing and a hearing before a student conduct hearing board.

Where a hearing board was requested, the same specially trained, five-member hearing board of students and employees, which was diverse in both race and gender, heard both the individual student’s case and the fraternity’s case. All found responsible of violating the Student Code of Conduct have the right to appeal the decision.

This is where we are today. UT followed its student conduct process precisely to achieve an impartial assessment of what occurred. I am keenly aware that in an environment heavily clouded by alcohol, intolerable words and phrases may well have been used. The 45 interviews provided conflicting views of what occurred.

I remain incredibly disappointed by the behaviors that have led the UT community to this point.

This situation has pointed out the need for training and understanding that we will continue to work on, embrace and incorporate in our forthcoming diversity plan.

I am also optimistic. In the last few months, hundreds of students, faculty and staff across this University have engaged in candid and challenging conversations led by Dr. Kaye M. Patten, senior vice president for student affairs, and Dr. Willie McKether, special assistant to the president for diversity.

This is why I am confident in this institution’s trajectory. Great universities don’t shy away from difficult conversations. It is because the UT community is engaged in civil but passionate, educated discussions that we will achieve a greater understanding of each other. And that understanding, that empathy — especially in the face of frustration — is what makes The University of Toledo strong.

This incident has justifiably stirred the emotions of many, and I certainly recognize that while this investigation is concluding, conversations about its outcome will continue. Whether on this topic or any other, please know you can always reach out to me at UTPresident@utoledo.edu with your thoughts, suggestions and solutions.